# VAR

Returns the estimated variance for a sample of data

## Syntax

```
VAR(number1, [number_n])
```

## Arguments

| Argument   | Description                                                                 | Required |
|------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------|----------|
| `number1` | The first number or reference corresponding to a sample of a population     | Required |
| `number_n`| Additional numbers or references to include in the sample                    | Optional |

## Examples

### Sample variance of test scores

=VAR(A1:A5)

Result ⇒29.8

|     |     |
|-----|-----|
|     | A   |
| 1   | 85  |
| 2   | 90  |
| 3   | 78  |
| 4   | 92  |
| 5   | 88  |

### Variance of individual values

=VAR(10, 20, 30, 40, 50)

Result ⇒250

### Sample variance of measurements

=VAR(A1:A5)

Result ⇒0.05

|     |     |
|-----|-----|
|     | A   |
| 1   | 2.1 |
| 2   | 2.3 |
| 3   | 1.9 |
| 4   | 2.5 |
| 5   | 2.2 |

## Related Functions

Other Statistical functions:

- [AVEDEV](/content/docs/formulas/avedev.html) - Returns the average of the absolute deviations of data points from their mean
- [AVERAGE](/content/docs/formulas/average.html) - Returns the average of given arguments. Text is ignored.
- [CORREL](/content/docs/formulas/correl.html) - Returns the correlation coefficient between two data sets
- [COUNT](/content/docs/formulas/count.html) - Returns the count of numeric values in a dataset.
- [COUNTA](/content/docs/formulas/counta.html) - Returns the count of values in a list of arguments including text, logical values, error values, and empty text.
- [COUNTIF](/content/docs/formulas/countif.html) - Returns the count of cells that meet a specified criteria
- [COUNTIFS](/content/docs/formulas/countifs.html) - Returns the count of criteria_ranges based on the given criterions.
- [FORECAST](/content/docs/formulas/forecast.html) - Calculates, or predicts, a future value by using existing values
- [LARGE](/content/docs/formulas/large.html) - Returns the k-th largest value in a data set
- [MAX](/content/docs/formulas/max.html) - Returns the largest number from the provided arguments
- [MEDIAN](/content/docs/formulas/median.html) - Returns the median of the given numbers
- [MIN](/content/docs/formulas/min.html) - Returns the smallest number from the provided arguments
- [MINIFS](/content/docs/formulas/minifs.html) - Returns the minimum value from a range that meets multiple criteria.
- [MODE](/content/docs/formulas/mode.html) - Returns the most frequently occurring value in a data set
- [PERCENTILE](/content/docs/formulas/percentile.html) - Returns the k-th percentile of values in a range
- [PERCENTRANK](/content/docs/formulas/percentrank.html) - Returns the rank of a value in a dataset as a percentage (0 to 1) of the dataset
- [RANK](/content/docs/formulas/rank.html) - Returns the rank of a number from the list of other numeric values
- [SMALL](/content/docs/formulas/small.html) - Returns the k-th smallest value in a data set
- [STDEV](/content/docs/formulas/stdev.html) - Returns the estimated standard deviation based on a sample
- [STDEVP](/content/docs/formulas/stdevp.html) - Calculates standard deviation based on the entire population
- [SUMIF](/content/docs/formulas/sumif.html) - Returns the sum of a range depending on criteria
- [SUMPRODUCT](/content/docs/formulas/sumproduct.html) - Returns the sum of products for a list of arguments
- [VARP](/content/docs/formulas/varp.html) - Calculates variance based on the entire population